Oscar Isaac Will Lead David Simon’s Civil Rights HBO Miniseries, Elle Fanning Steps Into A ‘Storm’ And More

Oscar Isaac Will Lead David Simon’s Civil Rights HBO Miniseries, Elle Fanning Steps Into A 'Storm' And More

Earlier this year, it was reported that David Simon—the man behind "The Wire" and "Treme"—was writing an HBO miniseries biopic about Martin Luther King Jr. Whether that project is still going or perhaps shifted directions is unclear, but Simon has a new project coming on HBO, with similar thematic matter, and it sounds great. Oscar Isaac and Catherine Keener will lead the Simon co-penned miniseries, based on the book "Show Me A Hero" by Lisa Belkin, that will follow "a young Yonkers mayor (Isaac) in the 1960s who is faced with a federal court order requiring that he build a small number of low-income housing units in his town’s Caucasian neighborhoods. His attempt to do so tears the entire city apart, paralyzes the entire municipal government and, ultimately, destroys him and his political future." Hot damn, that sounds great, and stepping into to direct the first episode is Paul Haggis of "Crash" fame. Put this on your must see for 2015. [Variety]

"Girls" star Allison Williams will play Peter Pan in NBC‘s "Peter Pan Live!" She’ll be singing and dancing opposite Christopher Walken‘s villainous Captain Hook in the live-to-the-air production. It’s a risky role for the actress with no room for error, but also one that could be magic if she pulls it off. [Variety]

Elle Fanning is set to play writer Mary Shelley in "A Storm In The Stars." Haifaa al-Mansour, the filmmaker behind the excellent "Wadjda," will direct this one about "the passionate love affair between dangerously charismatic poet Percy Shelley and 17-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft, who would a year later write Frankenstein as Mary Shelley." Financing is coming together for filming to shoot next year. [THR]